Joe Potter, Disney's Behind-the-scenes Man, Dies At 83

Retired Army Maj. Gen. William E. ''Joe'' Potter, who helped build Walt Disney World and was known as Mr. Disney to the Orlando community, died Monday of heart failure. He was 83.

Potter masterminded much of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the theme park running, such as canals and underground utilities that were considered revolutionary in the '60s and '70s.

Those who knew Potter also credit him with easing Orlando's metamorphosis from a medium-size Florida town into a world-famous travel spot. He did so by keeping community leaders informed of every step of the park's construction.

''Joe Potter was Mr. Disney to the natives of Orlando,'' said Buell Duncan, president and chairman of Sun Bank N.A. ''He was the bridge between the Orlando community and Disney.''

''Disney World turned out to be a showplace to the rest of the world of what could be done with such a large development.''

Dick Nunis, president of Walt Disney Attractions, said Walt Disney World would not exist were it not for Potter's ingenuity and dedication.

''He was a man Walt Disney was very fond of,'' Nunis said. ''Without a Joe Potter there would be no Walt Disney World today.''

Before joining Disney, Potter was a veteran of major construction projects. He had served 38 years with the Army Corps of Engineers and was second in charge of construction at the New York World's Fair in 1964. He also was governor of the Panama Canal Zone and president of the Panama Canal Co. in the 1950s.

An engineer, Potter was determined to build an infrastructure for Disney World, including underground sewer, power and water treatment plants, which many civic leaders termed impractical and ''futuristic.''

''I went out and got three crackerjack college professors to show me how to do it,'' Potter joked in an interview about a year ago. ''And then I got me another professor to help put the utilities underground.''

His dedication to the Disney project helped him prevail against strikes and other setbacks that threatened the park's opening on Oct. 1, 1971. In 1968, facing a strike by equipment operators seeking to unionize, Potter said, ''Only the weather can keep us from getting back on schedule at this time.''

Walt Disney and Potter met at the New York World's Fair and are said to have had a congenial rapport.

''It didn't take you long to realize that Walt was a beginner of things, not a finisher,'' Potter said.

Potter was born July 17, 1905, in Oshkosh, Wis. He held degrees from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National War College.

In 1929, he served as an officer with the Army Corps of Engineers in Nicaragua. In World War II, he directed logistical planning for the invasion of Europe and moved on to the continent to direct the Army's ''Red Ball Express'' transportation operation.

From 1956 until his retirement in 1960, he governed about 40,000 people in the Panama Canal Zone. As president of the Panama Canal Co., he led the canal's business operation.

After his military retirement, Potter served as executive vice president of the New York World's Fair in the 1960s. A year after being hired by Disney in Los Angeles, he was assigned to help build the theme park in Orlando. He became a senior vice president for Disney and president of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Potter later was president of Potter, Fowler and Associates Management Consultants. He served on numerous civic and business boards, including the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

He held an honorary doctorate of engineering degree from Drexel Institute; the Distinguished Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star; and the French Croix de Guerre.

Wally Sanderlin, a former Orlando city commissioner and former chairman of the aviation authority, called Potter a unique man ''who had the inner motivation to accomplish tough jobs.''

William Dial, former chairman of Sun Bank, met Potter shortly after he was given the assignment in Orlando.

''I guess he single-handedly handled the relationship between the community and Disney,'' Dial said. ''He heard complaints, and he handled them. He always was conducting tours. He kept the community fully informed when the place was being built. We've lost a great guy.''